U.S. patent number 8,750,553 [Application Number 12/802,909] was granted by the patent office on 2014-06-10 for speaker device for mobile terminal.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. The grantee listed for this patent is Byung Hwa Park, Gun Hee Park. Invention is credited to Byung Hwa Park, Gun Hee Park.
United States Patent |
8,750,553 |
Park , et al. |
June 10, 2014 |
Speaker device for mobile terminal
Abstract
A speaker device for a mobile terminal enlarges resonance space
of a speaker while decreasing a size of the mobile terminal. The
speaker device for a mobile terminal includes at least one speaker
installed within a main body of the mobile terminal and a speaker
bracket installed at one surface of an electronic circuit board
mounted within the main body. In addition, the speaker bracket
fixes the at least one speaker in place and has housing space to
enclose the at least one speaker therein. At least one resonance
groove is formed in a portion enclosed by the speaker bracket in
one surface of the electronic circuit board. Because resonance
space can be enlarged without increasing a size of the speaker
bracket, an entire thickness of the mobile terminal can be reduced
and thus a size and thickness of the mobile terminal can be
decreased.
Inventors: |
Park; Gun Hee (Suwon-si,
KR), Park; Byung Hwa (Hwaseong-si, KR) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Park; Gun Hee
Park; Byung Hwa |
Suwon-si
Hwaseong-si |
N/A
N/A |
KR
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
(Suwon-si, KR)
|
Family
ID: |
43354414 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/802,909 |
Filed: |
June 16, 2010 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20100322456 A1 |
Dec 23, 2010 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
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Jun 17, 2009 [KR] |
|
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10-2009-0053679 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
381/387; 343/702;
455/90.3; 381/334 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
1/035 (20130101); H04R 2499/11 (20130101); H04M
1/0277 (20130101); H04R 1/2811 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04R
1/02 (20060101); H04B 1/38 (20060101); H01Q
1/24 (20060101); H04R 9/06 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;381/387,334 ;343/702
;455/575.7,90.3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Warren; David
Assistant Examiner: Russell; Christina
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A speaker device comprising: an electronic circuit board mounted
within a main body of a terminal; a speaker bracket on one surface
of the electronic circuit board comprising housing space; and at
least one speaker fixed to the speaker bracket and enclosed by the
housing space, wherein a first portion of the electronic circuit
board enclosed by the speaker bracket on the one surface of the
electronic circuit board is configured to have a non-zero thickness
thinner than a thickness of a second portion of the electronic
circuit board to enlarge the housing space in which the speaker is
enclosed.
2. The speaker device of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises a
front cover in which a display unit is installed and a rear cover
coupled to the front cover at a back side of the front cover, and
wherein the speaker bracket is installed between the rear cover and
the electronic circuit board.
3. The speaker device of claim 1, wherein one surface of the
speaker bracket opposite to the electronic circuit board comprises
at least one hole.
4. The speaker device of claim 1, wherein a contact portion of the
speaker bracket and the electronic circuit board is shielded.
5. The speaker device of claim 1, further comprising a resonance
space enclosed by the speaker bracket and the first portion of the
electronic circuit board enclosed by the speaker bracket on the one
surface of the electronic circuit board.
6. The speaker device of claim 5, wherein the speaker bracket
provides the resonance space via a structure that is open on some
of an installation portion of the at least one speaker and blocked
at an opposite side of the installation portion of the at least one
speaker with the electronic circuit board.
7. The speaker device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit
board comprises a printed circuit board (PCB).
8. The speaker device of claim 1, wherein the main body further
comprises a camera unit on one of the front cover and the rear
cover.
9. The speaker device of claim 1, wherein the main body further
comprises an antenna unit within the main body.
10. The speaker device of claim 1, wherein a quantity and a size of
the first portion of the electronic circuit board enclosed by the
speaker bracket on the one surface of the electronic circuit board
is based according to a quantity of the at least one speaker, a
disposition of the speaker, and a size of the speaker bracket.
11. A terminal comprising: a main body comprising an electronic
circuit board configured inside; and a speaker device comprising a
speaker bracket coupled to one surface of the electronic circuit
board and comprising housing space and at least one speaker fixed
to the speaker bracket and enclosed by the housing space, wherein a
first portion of the electronic circuit board enclosed by the
speaker bracket on the one surface of the electronic circuit board
is configured to have a non-zero thickness thinner than a thickness
of a second portion of the electronic circuit board to enlarge the
housing space in which the speaker is enclosed.
12. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the main body comprises a
front cover in which a display unit is installed and a rear cover
coupled to the front cover at a back side of the front cover, and
wherein the speaker bracket is installed between the rear cover and
the electronic circuit board.
13. The terminal of claim 11, wherein one surface of the speaker
bracket opposite to the electronic circuit board comprises at least
one hole.
14. The terminal of claim 11, wherein a contact portion of the
speaker bracket and the electronic circuit board is shielded.
15. The terminal of claim 11, further comprising a resonance space
enclosed by the speaker bracket and the first portion of the
electronic circuit board enclosed by the speaker bracket on the one
surface of the electronic circuit board.
16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the speaker bracket provides
the resonance space via a structure that is open on some of an
installation portion of the at least one speaker and blocked at an
opposite side of the installation portion of the at least one
speaker with the electronic circuit board.
17. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the electronic circuit board
comprises a printed circuit board (PCB).
18. The terminal of claim 11, further comprising a camera unit on
one of the front cover and the rear cover.
19. The terminal of claim 11, further comprising an antenna unit
within the main body.
20. The terminal of claim 11, wherein a quantity and a size of the
first portion of the electronic circuit board enclosed by the
speaker bracket on the one surface of the electronic circuit board
is based according to a quantity of the at least one speaker, a
disposition of the speaker, and a size of the speaker bracket.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY
The present application is related to and claims the benefit under
35 U S. C. .sctn.119 a of a Korean patent application filed in the
Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jun. 17, 2009 and assigned
Serial No. 10-2009-0053679, and the entire disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more
particularly, to a speaker device for a mobile terminal that can
enlarge resonance space of a speaker while decreasing a size of the
mobile terminal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, a mobile terminal is an electronic device that can
enable a user to perform a function such as wireless communication,
network connection, and digital broadcasting reception almost
regardless of time and location. A recent mobile terminal has been
developed to perform a function such as Internet connection and
digital broadcasting reception as well as a communication function.
Further, a function such as document writing and game playing is
added to the mobile terminal. As a function of the mobile terminal
gradually improves, accessories for various conveniences are
installed, and as a size of the mobile terminal decreases, many
accessories are densely disposed due to restriction in internal
space of the mobile terminal.
Particularly, nowadays, as a multimedia function of the mobile
terminal is enhanced, a speaker device for outputting sound is
important, and thus the speaker device should essentially have
resonance space for generating sound in a speaker. Resonance space
is space for reinforcing and resounding sound generated in the
speaker, and in order to for a user to obtain desired sound of high
quality, a minimum resonance space should be secured.
In order to decrease a size and thickness of a mobile terminal, a
thickness of the mobile terminal is reduced. However, when the
thickness of the mobile terminal is reduced, necessary resonance
space within a speaker device decreases, weakening the medium and
low frequency bands of sound generated in the speaker; therefore,
sound effect and a communication quality of the mobile terminal are
deteriorated. Further, in order to provide resonance space to solve
such a problem, there is a problem that an entire thickness of the
mobile terminal becomes thick and only an installation portion of
the speaker device protrudes to the outside.
Therefore, even while decreasing a size of the mobile terminal, a
speaker device for the mobile terminal that can enlarge resonance
space of a speaker is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is
a primary object to provide a speaker device for a mobile terminal
that can enlarge resonance space without increasing a size of a
speaker bracket in which a speaker is installed.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a speaker
device for a mobile terminal includes at least one speaker
installed within a main body of the mobile terminal and a speaker
bracket installed at one surface of an electronic circuit board
mounted within the main body. The speaker bracket is configured to
fix the at least one speaker in place and includes housing space
for enclosing the at least one speaker therein. At least one
resonance groove is formed in a portion enclosed by the speaker
bracket in the one surface of the electronic circuit board.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a
mobile terminal includes a main body that includes an electronic
circuit board therein and a speaker device including at least one
speaker installed within the main body. A speaker bracket is
configured to fix the at least one speaker in place and includes
housing space enclosing the at least one speaker therein. The
speaker bracket is installed at one surface of the electronic
circuit board, and at least one resonance groove is formed in a
portion enclosed by the speaker bracket at the one surface of the
electronic circuit board.
Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below,
it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words
and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms
"include" and "comprise," as well as derivatives thereof, mean
inclusion without limitation; the term "or," is inclusive, meaning
and/or; the phrases "associated with" and "associated therewith,"
as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included
within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to
or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with,
interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have,
have a property of, or the like; and the term "controller" means
any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one
operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware
or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It
should be noted that the functionality associated with any
particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether
locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are
provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill
in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances,
such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such
defined words and phrases.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its
advantages, reference is now made to the following description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like
reference numerals represent like parts:
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a mobile terminal according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates a structure of a speaker device for the mobile
terminal of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 illustrates a structure of a speaker device for the mobile
terminal of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 through 3, discussed below, and the various embodiments
used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this
patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be
construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those
skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the
present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged
mobile terminal. The views in the drawings are schematic views
only, and are not intended to be to scale or correctly
proportioned. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and
structures incorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring
the subject matter of the present invention.
While the present invention may be embodied in many different
forms, specific embodiments of the present invention are shown in
drawings and are described herein in detail, with the understanding
that the present disclosure is to be considered as an
exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not
intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments
illustrated.
In the following description, a mobile terminal according to the
present invention is a mobile communication terminal such as a
mobile phone. However, the present invention is not limited thereto
and may be an information and communication device or a multimedia
device such as a mobile communication terminal, mobile phone,
personal digital assistant (PDA), smart phone, International Mobile
Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) terminal, code division multiple
access (CDMA) terminal, wideband code division multiple access
(WCDMA) terminal, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM)
terminal, general packet radio service (GPRS) terminal, enhanced
data GSM environment (EDGE) terminal, universal mobile
telecommunication service (UMTS) terminal, digital broadcasting
terminal, and applications thereof.
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a mobile terminal according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a
bar type mobile terminal 1 is shown, among various forms, for
illustrative purposes only.
Referring to FIG. 1, a general bar type mobile terminal 1 includes
a main body 10, display unit 11, key input unit 12, sound output
unit 13, sound input unit 14, and camera unit 15.
The display unit 11 performs a function of a user interface for
outputting a desired screen to a user or for receiving an
instruction from a user. The display unit 11 can be formed as a
liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode
(OLED). It is preferable that the display unit 11 is formed to have
a function of a touch screen in order to receive an instruction
from the user.
The key input unit 12 for receiving a manipulation instruction from
the user is formed at an upper surface or a side surface of the
main body 10. When the display unit 11 has a function of a touch
screen, the key input unit 12 is formed with minimum function keys
such as a power key for turning the power of the mobile terminal 1
on or off, communication key for performing communication with
another party, and navigation key for selecting menus displayed on
the display unit 11. The key input unit 12 is formed in a form of a
keypad or a key button. FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which a
first key input unit 12a is formed in a lower end portion of the
main body 10, i.e. a lower end portion of the display unit 11 and
in which a second key input unit 12b is formed in a side surface of
the main body 10; however, the present invention is not limited
thereto. The key input unit 12 may be omitted, and an entire upper
surface of the main body 10 can be formed as the display unit
11.
As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 1 includes the sound output
unit 13 provided in an upper end portion of the main body 10 to
output a sound signal and the sound input unit 14 provided in a
lower end portion of the main body 10 to input a sound signal. The
sound output unit 13 outputs a sound signal related to a function
according to an operational state of the mobile terminal 1 such as
a call signal reception state and a communication state. The sound
output unit 13 can be formed as a speaker device including at least
one speaker. This is described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2
and 3. The sound input unit 14 receives an external sound signal
using a microphone according to an operational state of the mobile
terminal 1, such as a communication state and a recording state,
and processes the external sound signal as electrical sound data.
The mobile terminal 1 has a camera unit 15 for photographing a
front subject or performing audiovisual communication in an upper
end portion of the main body 10.
Although not shown, the mobile terminal 1 has an antenna unit for
transmitting and receiving a wireless signal. The antenna unit may
be located within a lower end portion of the main body 10 due to a
restriction in internal space according to decrease in size of the
mobile terminal 1.
FIG. 1 illustrates a bar type mobile terminal 1, however the
present invention is not limited thereto and can be applied to
mobile terminals of various types such as a slide type, flip type,
folder type, and rotation type.
The speaker device 100 constituting the sound output unit 13 is
described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a structure of
a speaker device for the mobile terminal 1 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is
a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a speaker device
for the mobile terminal 1 of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, the speaker device 100 includes a speaker 110
installed within the main body 10 of the mobile terminal 1, speaker
bracket 120 that fixes the speaker 110 to the inside of the main
body 10, and an electronic circuit board 130 to which the speaker
bracket 120 is coupled. At least one speaker 110 is provided in the
speaker device 100 and is fixed to the inside of the speaker
bracket 120.
The speaker bracket 120 is formed in a thin rectangular shape that
includes an approximately rectangular section and an empty inner
housing space to enclose the speaker 110 in order to provide
resonance space for sound generated from the speaker 110. The
speaker bracket 120 may provide space for a camera unit or an
antenna unit in addition to the speaker 110. The speaker bracket
120 is coupled to one surface of the electronic circuit board 130
that is mounted within the main body 10.
The electronic circuit board 130 is mounted within the main body 10
of the mobile terminal 1, i.e. between front cover 10a and a rear
cover 10b of the main body 10. The display unit 11 is located at
the front cover 10a, and the rear cover 10b is coupled to the front
cover 10a with the electronic circuit board 130 interposed
therebetween. Various function modules such as the display unit 11,
key input unit 12, sound output unit 13, sound input unit 14, and
camera unit 15 constituting the mobile terminal 1 are electrically
coupled to the electronic circuit board 130 and receive a control
signal from the electronic circuit board 130. The electronic
circuit board 130 has a thin plate shape and includes various
electronic components and wires for connections at an upper surface
or a lower surface thereof. The electronic components may be
various kinds of elements such as a modem chip. Preferably, the
electronic circuit board 130 is formed as a printed circuit board
(PCB).
As shown in FIG. 2, the speaker bracket 120 may be installed at a
position adjacent to an upper end portion of the main body 10. In
one some embodiments, the speaker bracket 120 provides resonance
space using a structure that is open on some of an installation
portion of the speaker 110 and blocked at an opposite side of the
installation portion of the speaker 110 with the electronic circuit
board 130. As shown in FIG. 3, one surface of the speaker bracket
120 that faces in the opposite direction from the electronic
circuit board 130 is opened. In some embodiments, a contact portion
of the speaker bracket 120 and the electronic circuit board 130 can
be shielded to maximize resonance effect.
Preferably, the speaker bracket 120 is installed between the rear
cover 10b and the electronic circuit board 130. In an embodiment,
as shown in FIG. 3, sound generated from the speaker 110 is
resonated in resonance space and is transferred outside through a
speaker hole 16 formed in an upper end portion of the rear cover
10b. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate an embodiment in which the speaker
bracket 120 is installed between the rear cover 10b and the
electronic circuit board 130. In another embodiment, the speaker
bracket 120 may be installed between the front cover 10a and the
electronic circuit board 130. In this embodiment, sound generated
from the speaker 110 is resonated in resonance space and is
transferred outside through the speaker hole 16 formed in an upper
end portion of the front cover 10a.
In the speaker device 100 for the mobile terminal according to the
present exemplary embodiment, at least one resonance groove 131 for
enlarging resonance space is formed in a portion enclosed by the
speaker bracket 120 in one surface of the electronic circuit board
130 around which the speaker bracket 120 and the electronic circuit
board 130 are coupled. In general, resonance space of the speaker
110 depends on a volume of space enclosed by the speaker bracket
120 and the electronic circuit board 130, and as shown in FIG. 3,
resonance space A enclosed by the speaker bracket 120 and the
electronic circuit board 130 can be enlarged by forming the
resonance groove 131 in a portion enclosed by the speaker bracket
120 in one surface of the electronic circuit board 130 around which
the speaker bracket 120 and the electronic circuit board 130 come
into contact. The resonance groove 131 is formed by making the
electronic circuit board 130 thin in a portion enclosed by the
speaker bracket 120 with respect to the rest of the electronic
circuit board 130.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which the resonance groove 131 is
formed in the same size as that of the speaker bracket 120, however
the quantity and a size of the resonance groove 131 can be changed
according to the quantity and disposition of the speaker 110, a
size of the speaker bracket 120, and a disposition form of
electronic components provided in the electronic circuit board
130.
As described above, in a speaker device 100 for a mobile terminal
according to the present exemplary embodiment, by forming the
resonance groove 131 in a contact portion of the speaker bracket
120 and the electronic circuit board 130, resonance space of the
speaker 110 can be enlarged. Further, even while enlarged resonance
space is provided, it is unnecessary to increase a size of the
speaker bracket 120 and thus an entire thickness of the mobile
terminal 1 can be reduced.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a speaker device for a
mobile terminal is exemplified. However, by reducing a thickness of
an electronic circuit board in an installation portion of a
configuration module, for example, an antenna device or a camera
unit mounted in the electronic circuit board in addition to the
speaker device, necessary space is secured, thereby reducing a
thickness of an entire mobile terminal.
As described above, according to a speaker device for a mobile
terminal of the present invention, by forming a resonance groove in
a contact portion of a speaker bracket in which a speaker is
installed and an electronic circuit board, resonance space of the
speaker can be enlarged.
Further, because resonance space can be enlarged without increasing
a size of the speaker bracket, an entire thickness of the mobile
terminal can be reduced and thus a size and thickness of the mobile
terminal can be decreased.
Further, a slim type mobile terminal that can provide abundant
sound of a high quality to a user can be provided.
Although the present disclosure has been described with an
exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be
suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the
present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall
within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *